The NHL has arguably the most unique All-Star format out of any professional sports league.
While the NBA, MLB and NFL have one game featuring the two conferences battling each other, that is not how it's done anymore in the NHL.
This year marks the seventh All-Star Game with the 3-on-3 single elimination tournament. There are four teams, one per division, competing at the event and must win two shortened games in order to be crowned the All-Star champions.
However, it wasn't always this way. In fact, the NHL utilized the conference vs. conference contest for a majority of the All-Star Game's history.
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Here is a look at the different formats of the NHL's All-Star Games through the years.
NHL All-Star Game format through the years
Stanley Cup champion vs. All-Stars
When the NHL created the All-Star Game in 1947, it originally consisted of one team full of NHL All-Stars and the team that most recently won the Stanley Cup. This format continued until a year after the 1967 NHL expansion.
Two times during this period, the NHL did not do the Stanley Cup champions vs. All-Stars. In 1951 and 1952, the league deviated and did two All-Star teams, one with all American-based teams and one with all Canadian-based clubs.
Conference vs. Conference
In 1969, the NHL changed the format of the All-Star Game. With the recent addition of six clubs in 1967, there were more teams and players that could be selected.
The league decided to go conference against conference, with each one getting its own team made up of players from the conference. At the time, the conferences were named the Wales Conference and the Campbell Conference, which continued until the NHL changed the names to East and West in 1994.
The league shifted from this format in 1998 but returned to having the East vs. West in 2003. The All-Star Game was played this way until 2010.
North America vs. World
In 1998, the NHL wanted to celebrate its players from outside of North America. It was a perfect opportunity with the 1998 Winter Olympics taking place that year, so the NHL briefly changed the format to one team consisting of players from North America and the other having players from all around the globe.
This format continued for the next few seasons, with its final game taking place in 2002, the same year of the 2002 Winter Olympics. The NHL went back to Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference in 2003.
Player draft
During the 2010-11 season, the league announced that it would be switching its All-Star Game from conference vs. conference to a player draft starting with the 2011 event.
Two captains were announced for the event and selected their rosters through a fantasy-style draft. It made for a number of great moments, including Phil Kessel being the first Mr. Irrelevant at an NHL All-Star Game, as he was selected last in 2011.
The league used this format for a total of three All-Star Games before changing the structure after the 2015 game.
3 on 3 tournament
The current format for the All-Star Game is by far the most unique. While every other event has consisted of just one game, the 3-on-3 composition consists of a single elimination tournament with four teams.
The NHL introduced 3-on-3 overtime in the 2015-16 season, and it received much praise from players and fans. As a result, the league instituted 3-on-3 at the All-Star Game, starting in 2016.
Each division has its own team and there are three contests played for the All-Star Game: two semifinals and a final. The team that wins both of their games is crowned the All-Star winner.